Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Mommarv on May 04, 2016, 08:46:50 PM
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Hi I have already posted in here that my GP started me on Livial just over three weeks ago. So far so good and I'm definitely seeing an improvement in many aspects but libido still non existent 😳 When I discussed HRT with GP she suggested either Testosterone injection which she could give there or then or starting on Livial tablets. i didn't ask any questions about the Testosterone injection as I wasn't keen on having it put into my system now knowing how I would react so chose the Livial as I could at least choose to stop them if I had bad side effects. I'm now wondering if I could have had both together? Would be grateful for further advice cx
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I didn't think that testosterone is offered in the UK :-\.
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I was new to all of this and it is only now that I'm getting to grips with all the different treatments etc I thought I'd look at the alternative she offered me and can't find anything about it apart from on US sites! The practice nurse also mentioned when she originally took my bloods that GP would probably offer me an injection but she didn't say what! I'm getting really curious now!🤔
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Oh do find out more ;D. I would have thought (and someone will be along I'm sure if I'm wrong) that testosterone requires regular application ???
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Doesn't Livial have it in?
Bloody he'll if that's true that would really show what a mess the system is!
Is she an imposter this doctor? Lol
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We'll be queueing up for the jab ;D
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Oh well Livial may have it in - I'm not sure but will look! To be fair she didn't offer the testosterone alongside the Livial she gave me a choice between the two but didn't really give me any facts or explanations to make decision on and I just thought well at least I can stop the tablets whereas the injection would be in my system for ?weeks (?i think she said I would have to have to have the injection at regular intervals but I may be wrong and getting confused with my daughters treatment as she's been started on B12 injections - we both go to same doc and I go in with daughter as she has had a lot of brain surgery/treatment which has left her with poor memory - yes I know it is the blind leading the blind at minute lol.
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She's definitely not an imposter. She's got a really good reputation, is going through menopause herself now and got an MBE from her majesty for her medical work 🤗
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No that's great it's just not the norm. Where she live she may be kidnapped by some of the ladies on here
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She did say that those two options where the ones that had the potential for less side effects ??!??!??
Oh God and another thing - now me brain fog is clearing a little I've just re-read the info sheet with Livial and it says not to be taken unless periods have been absent for 12 months - mine been absent for 8 months🤔
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Hey ho! Speak to a Pharmacist maybe?
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Personally I wouldn't worry I've tried all sorts as and when no one seemed to bother so I don't
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Haha Kate50 she is alas still only human - she dismissed my daughter's symptoms as nothing at all to worry about but did have the foresight to send her for an urgent CT 'just in case' where she was found to have brain tumour! Still can't fault her though as we've heard many horror stories since of BT patients being fobbed off for months before being referred for scan. She has done everything in her power to help us since I've got a funny feeling that if I get chatting to other 'women of a certain age' in our village I may find they're all on these injections lol. Explains why there seems to be a disproportionate amount of glamorous and energetic grannies around these parts! 😉
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These parts being where exactly ;D
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Lol are the young men safe?
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Lol are the young men safe?
Haha well they are from me!!!! ........ For now anyway 😜😜😜
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Hi Mommarv
I didn't know testosterone was offered by injection at all? There are implants that are sometimes given - most usually to women who have had hysterectomy with ovary removal and whose T level will be negligible, and I think Studd offers them (amongsy others). Testosterone supplementation is not usually given on its own either - it would be given as part of HRT ie supplemental to oestrogen/progesterone - and the NICE guidelines also imply this.
Livial is not like other HRT as you will see from this site : "gonadomimetic synthetic preparation with weak estrogenic, progestogenic & androgenic properties". This is what it says in the product info:
"Following oral administration, tibolone is rapidly metabolised into three compounds, which all contribute to the pharmacodynamic profile of Livial. Two of the metabolites (3α-OH-tibolone and 3β-OH-tibolone) have oestrogenic-like activities, whereas the third metabolite (Δ4-isomer of tibolone) has progestogenic and androgenic-like activities.
Livial substitutes for the loss of oestrogen production in postmenopausal women and alleviates menopausal symptoms. Livial prevents bone loss following menopause or ovariectomy."
http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/8552
I don't think it would be a good idea to have it if you are not post-menopausal due to possible irregular bleeding and possible endometrial thickening - but presumably your doc will check you regularly?
Hurdity x
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Forgive me for being picky but we aren't in Public School are we: shouldn't we give Consultants their correct titles :-\. I would object to being called by my surname ………
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Hi Mommarv
I didn't know testosterone was offered by injection at all? There are implants that are sometimes given - most usually to women who have had hysterectomy with ovary removal and whose T level will be negligible, and I think Studd offers them (amongsy others). Testosterone supplementation is not usually given on its own either - it would be given as part of HRT ie supplemental to oestrogen/progesterone - and the NICE guidelines also imply this.
Hurdity x
Perhaps I got it wrong??? It was definitely an injection as I distinctly remember the practice nurse saying that's what GP would probably offer me, as if it was regular occurrence and when I saw GP she said she could do it there and then!?!? If I have got it wrong and GP didnt say testosterone what could it have been that would be given by injection?!?!? How strange. 🤔🤔🤔
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I don't think it would be a good idea to have it if you are not post-menopausal due to possible irregular bleeding and possible endometrial thickening - but presumably your doc will check you regularly?
Hurdity x
Thanks hurdity. Please do you know what I should be looking out for that would be a worrying sign and what the Doc should be doing in way of regular checks? Mommarv X
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Why don't you ring your GP Surgery and ask what was offered :-\. It should be in your records or the GP should be able to ring you at home and discuss ……….
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Forgive me for being picky but we aren't in Public School are we: shouldn't we give Consultants their correct titles :-\. I would object to being called by my surname ………
Whaaat? Good grief CLKD - very very picky and adds nothing relevant to the conversation! "Forgive me" - but you did anyway. :-\ . I don't appreciate your telling me what and how I should write my posts thank-you! And what has public school got to do with it - not sure what you are implying there but to me it doesn't sound very complimentary.
For your information Mr/Prof John Studd has/had multiple roles for which different titles would apply. As a medical Dr he would have gone by Dr Studd but as an NHS consultant would be known as Mr Studd. If he practiced solely privately I'm not sure the Mr would still apply so possibly would have to revert to Dr? He is also a distinguished research academic and clearly holds or has held a Chair at a university or medical research establishment - either honorary or actual - which allows him to go by the title Professor. Not sure what happens when you retire from research - whether you can still go by that title? Definitely the title "Dr" lasts for ever. Oh and by the way also as an academic it is correct practice to refer to researchers and their work by their surnames - as in: Studd found that progesterone blah blah blah etc. You say picky - well you've got detail!
Some of us don't have the time nor inclination to read and comment on every post, so get to the nitty gritty quickly - sometimes using abbreviations and short-cuts - before rushing out to work as I was yesterday. And why pick on me - others also use this too?!!!
So please CLKD - just NO!!!!
Hurdity x
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Perhaps I got it wrong??? It was definitely an injection as I distinctly remember the practice nurse saying that's what GP would probably offer me, as if it was regular occurrence and when I saw GP she said she could do it there and then!?!? If I have got it wrong and GP didnt say testosterone what could it have been that would be given by injection?!?!? How strange. 🤔🤔🤔
Hi there mommarv. I'm not saying you've got it wrong - just that I haven't heard of T injections for women nor recall their being discussed on here. Now that I have got some time I've had a quick look and seems they are used for men, so possibly also off licence for women - but as I said before gel or implants are the usual method. However I would be interested to hear about their use in women?
Re what you should look out for with Livial - I would request a regular scan due to potential endometrial thickening. I don't know how it works if you are not post-menopausal though ie I don't know if your cycle would break through and allow bleeding if you ovulate? if you look at the product info on the link I gave then then this gives all the info.
Hurdity x
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Why don't you ring your GP Mommarv and ask :-\. It isn't easy to remember the names of the various medications - when you find out let us know ???.